FNS Documents & Resources

CACFP funds are provided to assist State agencies through grants and other means to initiate and maintain nonprofit food service Programs for eligible children and adult participants in nonresidential institutions that provide care. This Instruction establishes program standards, principles and guidelines for financial management.

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items.

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide additional guidance on the use of school and census data to establish area eligibility in CACFP, SFSP, and the Seamless Summer Option of the NSLP. In addition, this memorandum consolidates previous guidance and simplifies the area eligibility determination process to reduce administrative burdens on state agencies and program operators.